Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece yadda yadda yadda… you get the picture :)

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I know, I know, it's been a year since I last posted anything… I'm very very sorry… I had a major writer's block and then the school started and my new job... But I hope that I'll be able to publish monthly from now on if not sooner. So thanks again for reading and reviews…

Chapter 16 – The Last stand of Usopp's Pirates

"You're gonna fight!" we all shouted at him.

Ohh, this is going to get interesting I thought with a smirk. I can't wait.

"How are we going to split up?" asked Usopp and I thought about it. Since it was my idea I should formulate a plan.

"I'm going where my treasure is!" Nami said with a scowl.

"Fine," I sighed and continued, "Nami, Usopp and I we will go to the north beach and Luffy and Zoro and you two stay here."

"What? They are strong! One of them should go to the north!" said Usopp and Nami nodded in agreement. I scowled, I may not be a powerhouse as they were but I was no slouch.

"I'll go," said Luffy and put his hand on my shoulder. Apparently he has seen my scowl and slightly shook his head.

I took a deep breath to calm my temper and nodded, "Fine, I'll stay here."

"Yosh," my brother said and ran off. Nami ran after him telling him that he was going in the wrong direction.

"Baka," I muttered with a smile. Usopp stayed saying he'll be right back. And also ran off.

"Couldn't you use your gift and see where the pirates are?" asked Zoro. I grimaced and said, "I already have. They are anchored way out on the open. They could come in either direction. Besides, in that much open water I dare not to use my gift as it would consume me. There is too much information in the water."

"Consume you?" he asked and I sighed and sat down, as we have few hours before dawn.

"My gift is not perfect, a human mind can process only as much information. Any more and I would lose myself in it. I would go mad if I couldn't find an anchor to hold on."

He didn't say anything back but just sat down as well and after a while he asked, "How do you know that you'll go mad?"

"Once, back in our village, I lost control over my gift. It was the most terrifying thing I have ever lived through, and if it wasn't for my brother I probably wouldn't be here. He found a way to get to me and anchor me to the present. For 14 days he tried and luckily he managed. Since then I have worked hard so that I have perfect control over my gift," I replied and omitted which brother it was that saved me. After all we are trying to get famous on our own without the shadow of Ace over us.

"Oi!" shouted Usopp rolling a large barrel. We looked up on top of the slope and we saw Usopp waving at us. We got up and went to him.

"What's in a barrel?" I asked and he grinned, saying, "Oil! I'll spread it on the slope and that way the pirates won't be able to walk up to the village."

"Smart plan, but it won't stop them," I replied and Zoro smirked, "That's why we're here."

We spilled the oil on the slope and waited for the dawn. It wasn't long until Zoro turned to the east.

"The dawn is coming," said Zoro and looked at the sea. I kneeled on the ground and put my palms on it. I closed my eyes and concentrated on Luffy. He was already on the other side of the island but nowhere near our boats and was brimming with excitement. He was running but was pretty close the North Slope where we anchored our boats. I grimaced and muttered, "Typical."

I extended my senses and found the pirates. They were closing in on the north shore.

"They're close to the north shore. We must hurry; Nami is there alone as Luffy got lost," I said and Usopp panicked and ran.

I stood up and said to Zoro, "Let's go!"

He turned around and at that moment he took a step in the wrong direction and slipped on the oil. He grabbed the nearest thing to hold on which was me and if it wasn't for the reflexes I developed we would be both sliding down.

Zoro was already on his stomach lying in oil but held my arm in vice grip. I tried dragging him away from the oil but Usopp wasn't particularly careful with where he smeared the bloody thing and I slipped as well. In between cursing we slid down the slope and ended up with him lying on top of me.

"Do you mind getting off?" I asked as he is a big and heavy man and I was feeling a bit claustrophobic. He looked at me and it must have been my imagination or did he blush? No, my mind was probably just playing tricks with me. He grunted and was off me in a second. He then ran up the slope the fastest he could go but ended at my feet on his back. He got up and ran the slope again with more vigor.

"Zoro," I said, "That won't work."

He completely ignored me and ran up again. I rolled my eyes and sighed, "Men," and gathered my ki in my muscles and when he was lying on his back for the fourth time at my feet I grabbed him and swung him over my shoulder and jumped to the top, away from that bloody oil.

"Can we go now?" I asked when I dropped him. He sat there, completely covered in oil and gaping at me and after a moment he closed his mouth and nodded.

"Then follow me," I said and we started to run. It was easy to find and a miracle happened, I didn't lose Zoro on the way.

When we got there Usopp and Nami were already fighting the pirates and Usopp had a wicked wound on his head, which was bleeding quite heavily. Nami had some scratches and they were on the verge of being overwhelmed by Kuro's pirates.

Zoro sliced and threw back down the slope the ones that got past Usopp and Nami, while I kicked and punched.

"You've come," said Nami, relief visible clearly on her face.

"What was that weak little puff of air I just felt?" said Zoro with a smug smile on his face. Bandana already tied on his head. And at that moment I heard shouting and Luffy ran towards us scowling, "Usopp, you jerk! Tell me which way is north next time!"

I just facepalmed and sighed, of course he didn't ask which way he had to go. The weird hypnotist asked flabbergasted, "Who the hell are they?"

"Y-you guys are that strong?!" asked Usopp gobsmacked. Luffy clenched his fist and nonchalantly said, "Yeah."

"Well I hope you three are happy. You sure took your time!" Nami said annoyed and I replayed, "It does take some time to get from one side of the island to the other."

She just huffed, "You better help me get my treasure back."

" Nami! There's no way you can expect me to know which way is north and which way isn't!" said Luffy and pointing a finger at her. I sighed and stepped to Usopp and told him to dhow me his wounds. I bandaged them quickly and reinforced the bandage like I did before on his arm. We really need to get a doctor on our ship, I thought, with them so trouble prone as they are we would definitely need someone way better then I.

My musings were interrupted by hypnotists words, "Dammit, boys. You aren't going get wasted by a bunch of measly kids, are you?"

"No...sir..." they answered and started to get up. I began to fill my muscles and bones with ki, anticipating a fight.

"Whoa! They still want to fight? What a stubborn bunch!" said Luffy and began to crack his knuckles, Zoro adjusted his swords and Nami and Usopp shuffled back.

"Look, we don't have the time to mess around here," said the hypnotist, "If they're tough, we'll just have to get tougher! Now, look at the wheel...When I say "One, Two, Jango," you'll get stronger. And you'll be healed entirely! You'll be much, much stronger!"

While he was talking he swung the disk on the rope left and right and I had a really bad feeling about it and when I looked at Luffy I saw the glaze in his eyes when he asked, "What are they doing?"

"Luffy, close your eyes!" I sharply said.

"What? Why?" he asked his eyes still on the disk. I glared at him and yelled, "Now! I'll explain later!"

He obeyed and Nami said, "It's gotta be his hypnotism again! They're gonna imagine that they're stronger! What a bunch of losers!"

"Keep them closed and think of meat!" I said to Luffy. I know my brother and as stubborn and single minded he can be there is no doubt in my mind that he is also easily hypnotized, as I saw before when he fell asleep on the top of the cliff.

"One! Two! Jango!" he said and the pirates all stood up shouting with glazed eyes and started to shout.

"No way! They were completely beaten just a second ago!" said Nami and I said, "Hypnotism is powerful if you know how to use it. Those who are gullible are very susceptible."

"Can I look now?" Luffy asked and I said yes, "Whoa, they were beaten a minute ago. A mystery power!"

One of the pirates punched the cliff and a big piece of it crumbled.

"He totally shattered the cliff face! What power!" said Zoro with awe in his voice.

"I don't believe it! The hypnotism actually worked!" Nami said with dread. And Usopp added, "If one of them can knock down the cliff like that, what about all of them together?!"

"Go and finish them," Jango said and the newly hypnotized pirates charged.

"You two get to the top of the hill! We'll take care of this!" said Zoro and Luffy and I grinned and started to fight.

"Oi, don't go hogging all of them!" said Zoro when he joined us. It has been a while since I could lose myself in a fight against many opponents without having to hold back. And even though they were hypnotized to be stronger they were no match to us. The fight lasted about five minutes. I paralyzed them by pressing their pressure points. I used quite some power so they should be out for at least a day. Meanwhile Zoro and Luffy disposed of the rest of the pirates.

"Is that it?" I asked when we were done.

"Sounds like there are still some left on the ship..." said Zoro after he listened to the sounds on the ship.

"Oh yeah!" said Jango, "We still have them!"

"Them?" I wondered and looked at the ship.

"So what's gonna show up this time?!" asked Luffy and crouched down.

"Heh heh... Y-you fools are dead now," said one of the pirates and I snorted and said, "Hard to believe."

"Come on down... Nyaban Brothers!"

Down jumped two men, dressed similar to the rest of the crew in cat themed clothing, even though to me one of them, the bigger one looked more like a cow then a cat. They both looked more capable then the pirates we have beaten but they shouldn't be much trouble for all of us.

"There you are, Nyaban Brothers."

"At your service, Captain Jango," said the smaller one.

"Captain," added the second brother.

"Who are they?" asked Nami while Usopp was more in awe the way they jumped down from the ship, "Wow...they landed perfectly from that height! Just like cats."

"Buchi, Siam, we gotta pass through this road by any means. As you can see, there are roadblocks! Get rid of 'em!" Jango said while pointing at us.

"Oh...oh no, sir, we can't do that. Right, Buchi?"

"Yeah, they look really tough!"

"Wha-? Aren't those guys supposed to be their hidden weapon or something?!" said Usopp while they pretended to be scared of us. I could sense they were trying to confuse us and I said, "Do not take them lightly. They're only trying to get us to lower our guard."

"Siam! Hurry up and kick their asses!" Jango yelled.

"What?! Me?!"

"Step on it!" added Jango irritably.

"Yes sir, I'm going sir!" and with that said he ran towards us.

"Hey you, say your prayers! I'll rip you to shreds with these c-c-claws!" he shouted and ran towards Zoro in what looked like a panicked run.

"Now what am I supposed to say to that?! Hey! Stop, or I'll cut you down!"

"If you can..." said Siam in completely different voice and attacked him. He was armed with clawed gloves and had no problem blocking Zoro's sword.

"What the…?!" he said and I sighed, apparently my warnings went unheard. And as such I attacked with my needles. They landed perfectly on his neck. One was a poison and another was there to block the nerves and paralyze him. He crumbled and asked, "Wha..? What happened?"

His speech was getting slurry and I answered, "Poison."

"Brother?! You killed him," shouted Buchi and attacked but Zoro did not wait and used his Santoryuu and sent him flying.

"Di-did you kill him," Usopp asked me. I lifted my eyebrow and replied, "No, he isn't dead. He will be weak though. The poison is strong and it will cause a number of problems but he won't die from it."

"Ah… I see," he said and moved a bit further from me. I smirked at that and turned back to the fight between Buchi and Zoro. Which wasn't much of a fight really; Zoro was clearly a better fighter.

Then I heard the whispers and finally noticed a man approaching. It was that damn butler, Klahadore or better yet ex-captain Kuro.

"Don't tell me these brats have been holding you up... Oh, how the Black Cat Pirate Crew has fallen. Hasn't it, Jango?!" said ex-Captain Kuro to his former crew, I could feel the cold fury beneath his cold façade.

Jango shook in fear and stuttered out a reply, "B-but, but you said the kid wasn't gonna be a problem, remember? That's what you said, man!"

"Yes, that is what I said... And what of it?! There shouldn't have been a problem. It was child's play to predict that he would come and try to stop us. What I didn't account for was your utter incompetence. I have no interest in excuses," said Kuro coldly while fixing his glasses with his palm. I lifted my eyebrow, and sensed the emotions of the fallen crew, I could feel indignity, even without using my powers, and anger. Buchi flexed his claws and even paralyzed Siam clenched his teeth. Buchi said, "Us...incompetent? Now you've done it, Captain Kuro... You were strong, once."

"What is your point?" asked Kuro, still and I could see where this was going. I smirked and whispered, "Now they've done it…" Luffy heard me and looked at me and I shook my head and said, "Wait."

Jango seemed to realize the same thing and yelled at the big cow lookalike, "No! Buchi, cut it out!"

"I'm going to kill you!" Buchi flew against Kuro but the ex-Captian was too quick. I could follow him, but I doubted anyone else there could as well. Perhaps Luffy, after all my technique was also about speed. Kuro moved behind Buchi and wore gloves with long blades attached to the tips imitating cat claws.

"Kill...whom?" asked Kuro with his claws posed against his throat and stomach. Usopp gasped and asked, "When did he get behind them?"

The pirates gasped and paled, some of them said, "That's it..."Nuki-Ashi!"

"What's up with those claws?" asked Zoro and he readjusted his katanas.

"Your arguments are sound," said Kuro, "I may have lived in a peaceful village while you roamed the sea and fought, but that does not mean my skill faded."

"I can still feel a bit of sluggishness in my body," he continued, "Yes, I'm no longer your captain... But I am your client! If you can't carry out my orders, I will simply have to kill you!"

Jango swallowed heavily and said, "What are you waiting for, men? His "Nuki-Ashi"...is a silent movement. You could have 50 assassins together, and they'd be dead before they even knew he was there. There is no escape from his plan. And when I saw his little habit, the first time I'd met him in three years, it gave me the willies. The creepy way he raised his glasses...so he wouldn't cut his own face with the Cat's Claws...Proof that he never forgot how to fight!"

"It appears three years of inactivity...have left me softer than I once was. I'll give you five minutes. If you can't clean this up in five minutes. I will kill each and every one of you with my own two hands," said Kuro and released Buchi and moved with his technique behind us.

All that talk I could feel Luffy's impatience growing and mine was not far off. Why does every villain we meet has to have ego problems? The love to talk and talk and just thinking about it I grow even more and more irritated. I huffed and was just to tell Luffy to deal with Kuro when I sensed someone approaching, oh boy, I thought this is worse than the soap operas Makino loved to listen to back home.

"Klahadore! Stop this at once!" shouted Kaya panting and gasping for air.

"Kaya! What are you doing here?" asked a surprised Usopp.

"Hey! Ain't that the girl from the mansion? The final target of the plan, right?" asked Jango and the rest of the pirates looked at the girl, "So...we don't gotta go to the village after all? We just gotta kill that girl..."

Kaya stepped back at all the looks she received but quickly focused on Kuro as he asked, "This is a surprise, Mistress... What brings you here?"

"Merry's told me everything," she replied and he smirked and said, "Ahhh. So he was still alive. And I thought...I had finished the job."

"No! This-This isn't Klahadore! I'm sorry...Usopp-san! Maybe it's too late for apologies... But I...I just couldn't believe...that Klahadore could be a pirate!"

Usopp gaped but he quickly caught himself and shouted, "Who cares about that? Why did you come here? I told you to run away! They're trying to kill you!"

"But you're fighting! Even after the horrible things we did to you, Usopp-san! You're still here fighting yourself bloody!" she shouted back in her high voice and again I couldn't sigh at the drama. Really, I thought, I should record it for Makino if it goes any longer…

"Klahadore! If you want my inheritance, you can have it! I'll give it to you!
Just leave the village!" said Kaya to Kuro and he smiled that saccharine smile I wanted to smack off his face, "Not quite, Mistress... You are right about the money, but there is another thing I desire. I wish for peace and tranquility. The three years I have spent cultivating the trust of the village folk has paid off in exceedingly comfortable ways. Only with this peace and your inheritance will my plan be a success. Thus the freak "incidence" of the pirate attack the will left behind after your death are absolutely necessary."

Usopp shouted at Kaya, "Run Kaya! Words are useless with him! He's not the butler you know!"

But Kaya ignored him and took the pistol out of her cloak and pointed at him. Her hand shook but she still pointed the pistol at him I sighed and started to gather ki in my body, after all she cared for the man he pretended to be and I doubt that she'll be able to shoot him. Besides, I doubted that she knew how to load a pistol so even if she would've pushed the trigger nothing would've happened.

"Leave the village!" she shouted at him again. Kuro did nothing but fixed his glasses and said, "I see... These three years have changed you, as well."

He took a step towards Kaya and continued, "Do you remember all of the many things that happened..."

At that point I jumped and kicked him away from Kaya and jumped in front of her, "Enough is enough! I really don't need to listen to a guy who doesn't have the balls to stick to his commitments as a pirate!"

Everybody looked at me and I said, "What? He pretended that he was dead so that he could live a peaceful life! What kind of a pirate is that?"

"Shishishishi! Nice one Shana!" said Luffy laughing. Jango and his crew looked at the cliff where I kicked him and Kuro was already picking himself up.

"Tch, I should have kicked him harder…" I muttered and helped Kaya back on her feet as her legs didn't support her anymore after Kuro flew away by the force of the kick. Nami managed to intercept the Vegetable brigade before they could attack Kuro. She ushered them to me and Kaya and Luffy looked at me. I nodded and stepped in front of them, "Stay here and don't do anything stupid!"

"Why? We want to fight!" they complained and I glared at them, "Do you want to die?"

They shook their heads and huddled away from me, behind Kaya. Kuro recovered from the kick and was preparing to pay me back when Luffy intercepted him with a punch. He enforced it with his Gomu Gomu powers and everyone looked slack jawed at my brother while I merely smirked.

"You possess the power of a Devil Fruit, don't you?" asked Kuro and Luffy answered, "That's right. I ate the Gomu Gomu Fruit! I'm a Rubberman!"

"Whaaat?! Devil Fruit? Holy crap, those things really exist? Dammit, I knew he was a weirdo. He's some kinda freak!" said one of the pirates and when I glared at them they cringed. I hate that word and no one is going to call my brother that. We had enough of that back home.

"Jango!" said Kuro and Jango straightened up as Kuro continued, "I'll handle the boy. You get Mistress Kaya. Make her write the will as planned then kill her. And those ants, I want them gone."

"I'll take care of them," he said closed up on us. I lifted my eyebrow and looked him over, "Ya know, you're gonna have to go through me to get them."

Jango glared at my statement and readied his chakram and I merely shifted a bit so that I could defend Kaya and the rest of them easier.

"Buuuchi!" yelled Jango and the cow like cat rushed towards me. From the corner of my eye I could see Zoro preparing to intercept him. When Buchi got close enough Zoro send him flying again but this time Buchi did not get up again.

"Luffy, have fun with the creep, I'll take care of this," I said to Luffy and he grinned and attacked Kuro. Me, on the other hand, rushed towards Jango and pressed few pressure points before he could do anything and he fell down, "No… F-fair…" he mumbled.

"I'm a pirate, of course I don't play fair, idiot."

Luffys fight lasted longer than mine, his opponent was far more skilled then mine, but during training Luffy got used to fighting with me on high speed and Kuro was much slower than I am so the fight was in Luffy's favor and was over pretty fast.

"Who are you?" asked one of pirates when Luffy beat Kuro and threw him towards the defeated crew. Luffy merely grinned and said, "I'm the person who will become the King of all Pirates!"

We tossed the pirates on their ship while Nami robbed them and Luffy yelled at them never to return with Usopp screaming with him as well. I rolled my eyes at their antics and checked our boats if anything was stolen. As everything was still there with additional money and gold Nami stole I double checked my money. With Nami around you never know. When pirates scurried away Usopp sat down with Kaya, Ninjin, Tamanegi and Piiman, he told them to keep everything a secret. They all protested but Usopp was firm and eventually they agreed. They went back to the village and we lingered around, Luffy was lying on the ground when Usopp said, "Thank you very much, guys. Without your help I couldn't protect the village."

"What are you talking about? If you didn't do anything, I wouldn't have helped you," said Zoro and I nodded in agreement.

"Same here," said Luffy. Nami was hugging her new treasure, "That's okay, because I got all of their treasure!"

"This situation helped me make a decision about my life," said Usopp and ran towards the village.

"Eh?" said Luffy and pouted, I smiled and said, "C'mon guys, let's grab some breakfast."

"I could use some sake," said Zoro and I said, "Isn't it a little too early?"

"It's never too early for sake!"

"Breakfast, breakfast!" Luffy sang while we walked and I smiled in content.

We went to the same restaurant as the day before, not that we had any choice as it was the only restaurant in the village. We ate a good hearty breakfast in our case with Nami, while Luffy gorged himself on food again. He was fishing in his mouth for a fishbone.

"Ah, I almost died…"

"Baka," I said, "How many times have I told you not to eat so fast?!"

"I don't know," he mumbled his mouth full again. I sighed and muttered about idiot brothers.

"Well, we've eaten, shall we go?" asked Zoro and I nodded and then I felt someone coming and I tilted my head a bit.

"Shana?" asked Zoro, Luffy and Nami looked at me and I pointed to the door as Kaya walked in, "Here you are!"

"Are you alright?" asked Nami and Kaya smiled as she answered, "I'm fine, my illness was mostly grief over losing my parents and Usopp-san has cheered me up, I'll try harder to recover."

"But, never mind that, you told me you wanted a ship?" she continued and Luffy said with a grin on his face, "You'll give us a ship?"

"Yes! Come, I'll show it to you," she said and waited that I paid for the food and we left for the harbor. She led us to a small ship. It was not too small and not too big. In my opinion it was perfect size for us.

"It's a caravel!" said Nami and Luffy was in awe as was I and no doubt Zoro as well. Merry started to explain but I tuned him out and stepped towards the ship. Its figure head looked like a sheep but it added the character the ship had. It emitted a nice feeling and a sense of belonging. Not bad for a new home, I thought and jumped aboard. In that moment something came rolling down the hill and smirked recognizing the spirit and yell. Zoro and Luffy stopped him and while we brought our stuff on board Merry Go as I learned the ships name Kaya and Usopp were saying goodbye. Then he turned towards us and said, "I wish you'll remain healthy, maybe we'll see each other again!"

"Why?" asked Luffy and Usopp said, "Huh? Why are you asking me? We're both pirates, so maybe we'll meet again on the see!"

"Just shut up and get on board," said Zoro and Usopp looked even more confused, when Luffy said "We're on the same team now!"

"Huh?" gaped Usopp and then he grinned and yelled, "I'm the captain, right?"

"Don't be stupid, I'm the captain!" shouted Luffy back.

"Hai hai, Captain, now help Usopp with his stuff. I checked the supplies, Kaya was most generous so we can leave," I said and pushed Luffy's hat down. Luffy pouted and did what I said.

"Nami!? Are we ready?" I asked and she came out of the Lounge room where the helm is and nodded. Usopp and Luffy were now on board so there was nothing holding us back now. We waved goodbye to Kaya and Merry and I grinned, "Alright then, Zoro get the anchor, Luffy get the sail, and Nami set the course and let's go!"

We all grinned and we sailed away from Usopp's home island.

We have a new ship, our new home, we are ready for a new adventure, I thought and grinned.

*Nuki-Ashi – silent feet

Okay, that it for chapter 16. I must say I'm not very satisfied with it… and I think it shows. I usually write chapter in one sitting but this one I couldn't do it… it took me months to get to this point… don't know why it just didn't go all as planned and for which I apologize.

I'll try better for the next one and hopefully it will be up next month…

Thank you again for reviews! :)

Ja ne